New Delhi, Aug 7 (PTI) The NCERT has set up an expert committee to examine the feedback received about its textbooks aligned with the new National Education Policy (NEP), officials said on Thursday.
The
officials, however, did not clarify which textbook in particular will the panel examine.
"As a follow-up to NEP 2020, NCERT has brought out the National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education. Aligned with the curricular goals and competencies as given in the NCFs, NCERT has brought out teaching-learning material, including textbooks. These curricular resources, including textbooks, receive regular feedback and suggestions from various stakeholders," a senior NCERT official said.
"At present, NCERT has received feedback about the educational content in a few textbooks. Hence a Committee is being constituted having senior experts, as per its established practice. This committee will examine the feedback in light of the available evidences and submit its report at the earliest possible," the official added.
The NCERT clarified that it is a well-established practice at NCERT that whenever substantial feedback or suggestions are received regarding the content or pedagogy of a textbook in a particular subject, a committee is constituted.
"This committee comprises high-level domain experts from reputed institutions and faculty members from the relevant subject area, with the convenorship of the head of the curriculum department. The committee carefully deliberates on the matter, makes evidence-based decisions regarding the content or pedagogy, and recommends appropriate actions accordingly at the earliest," the official said.
NCERT's new Class 8 textbook "Exploring Society: India and Beyond was in spotlight recently. Akbar's regime was a blend of "brutality" and "tolerance", Babur a "ruthless conqueror" while Aurangzeb was a "military ruler" who reimposed taxes on non-Muslims, says the book while describing the reign of Mughal emperors.
The book is the first in the new NCERT curriculum to introduce students to the Delhi Sultanate, Mughals, Marathas and the colonial era.
While earlier versions covered some of these topics in Class 7, the NCERT says the timeline has now been shifted entirely to Class 8, in line with the recommendations of the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2023. PTI GJS ZMN
